AnkyroTravel insuranceThailand
Travel insurance for Thailand.
Thailand doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But hospitals want a payment guarantee before they treat you, and private care is not cheap. Here is what to know.
The rules
What Thailand asks of visitors.
Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Entry rules change, so check again before you fly.
- Tourists: no insurance needed to enter
Visa-free tourists need the digital arrival card and proof of funds: 10,000 THB per person or 20,000 THB per family. Insurance is not on the list.
Source: gov.uk - Digital arrival card since May 2025
Since 1 May 2025, everyone must fill in the TDAC online before arrival. You can send it up to 3 days before you land.
Source: gov.uk - Visa-free stay cut to 30 days
From 15 September 2026, visa-free entry gives up to 30 days, for tourism only. Overstays cost 500 THB a day.
Source: gov.uk - A 450 baht fee is on the table
A 450 THB fee on foreign tourists is still a proposal in October 2026. Part of it could pay for visitor insurance, after hospitals collected only 59 THB of every 100 THB billed to foreign patients in 2024.
Source: nationthailand.com - Hospitals want a guarantee first
All hospitals ask for a guarantee of payment before they treat you. Call your insurer quickly if you are sent to a hospital.
Source: gov.uk - Scooters: licence or no claim
You need a licence for the bike and an International Driving Permit, and a helmet is the law. Without a valid licence, you can’t claim after an accident.
Source: gov.uk
What care costs
If something goes wrong, this is the bill.
What a visitor pays without insurance. Prices vary by hospital and change every year.
- Private outpatient visit: 1,500 to 4,500 THB
Private hospitals usually ask for payment up front. A night in critical care can cost 30,000 THB or more.
Source: thethaiger.com - Appendix surgery: 90,000 to 180,000 THB
An endoscopic appendectomy at a private hospital now costs 90,000 to 180,000 THB on average. A premium private room in Bangkok or Pattaya is 28,000 to 52,000 THB a night.
Source: pattayamail.com - Deposits up to 800,000 THB
Leading private hospitals can ask for a deposit of up to 800,000 THB before a major operation, unless your insurer guarantees the bill.
Source: pattayamail.com
What to look for
Choosing travel cover for Thailand.
Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.
- Direct payment to the hospital
Thai hospitals want a guarantee before they treat you. Check the insurer has a 24/7 line and can guarantee payment.
- Motorbike cover
Many plans only pay if you hold a licence for that bike and wore a helmet. Some leave scooters out unless you pay extra.
- A high medical limit
A major operation can need a deposit of up to 800,000 THB at a private hospital. Pick a limit well above that, plus evacuation.
- Cover for your whole stay
Long trips and visa extensions need cover for every day. A 30-day plan won’t help on day 45.
Before you land
Sort these before you fly.
- Emergency numbers
Call 1669 for an ambulance and 191 for the police. The tourist police are on 1155.
- Fill in the TDAC
Send the digital arrival card online in the 3 days before you land.
- Mobile data
An eSIM or a local SIM both work. Local SIMs are registered in person with your passport, and since May 2026 non-Thais can hold up to 3 per network.
- Save your insurer’s number
Keep the 24/7 assistance number and your policy number on your phone and on paper.
Common mistakes
3 we see all the time.
- 01Renting a scooter with no licence for it. The claim can be refused.
- 02Buying cover for 30 days and staying longer. Every extra day is uninsured.
- 03Going to a private hospital with no plan to pay. It can ask for a big deposit first.
Travel insurance stops when the trip ends, and most visas for living in Thailand don’t accept it. See what Thailand asks of residents.
Questions
People also ask.
Is travel insurance mandatory for Thailand?+
No, not for tourists. Entry needs the TDAC and proof of funds. A 450 THB tourist fee that could fund insurance is still a proposal.
How much does a hospital cost in Thailand for tourists?+
A private outpatient visit is about 1,500 to 4,500 THB. An appendix operation is 90,000 to 180,000 THB, and big operations can need a deposit of up to 800,000 THB.
Does travel insurance cover scooter accidents in Thailand?+
Only if your plan includes motorbikes and you rode legally, with the right licence, an International Driving Permit and a helmet.
How long can I stay in Thailand without a visa?+
From 15 September 2026, up to 30 days for tourism. Your insurance should cover every day you stay.
Other trips
Going somewhere else?
Visiting Singapore? Care is excellent and expensive. Living here and going abroad? MediShield Life does not pay overseas. Here is what to check.
02Schengen visaA Schengen visa needs travel medical cover of at least 30,000 euros, valid in every Schengen country, with repatriation. Here is what passes, and what doesn’t.
03MalaysiaVisiting Malaysia? Public hospitals charge foreigners full price. Living here and going abroad? Your cover at home stays at home. Here is what to check.
05JapanJapan doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But visitors pay the full bill, and unpaid bills can get you refused entry next time. Here is what to know.
06USA visitorsThe US doesn’t ask visitors for insurance. But a few days in hospital can cost more than a car. Here is what care costs, and what a visitor plan must cover.
07Bali and IndonesiaIndonesia doesn’t ask tourists for insurance yet. But a broken leg in Bali can cost over 160 million rupiah, and serious cases can need a flight out. Here is what to know.
08Dubai and the UAEDubai’s law says visitors must be insured, and the 5-year tourist visa asks for proof. Care is good but private, and an unpaid bill can stop you leaving.
09VietnamVietnam doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. But private hospitals cost a lot, and a motorbike crash can stop you leaving the country. Here is what to know.
10SpainPublic care in Spain is free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, dental care and the flight home are not. Here is what the card leaves to you in Spain.
11MexicoMexico doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Private hospitals in big cities are good, but most want payment first, and Medicare won’t pay.
12FranceCare in France is not free, even with an EHIC or GHIC. You pay upfront, claim back part, and the flight home is never covered. Here is what to check.
13ItalyThe EHIC and GHIC work in Italy’s public system, but you still pay fees, most medicines and any private doctor. Here is the Italian bill the card leaves you.
14GermanyWith an EHIC or GHIC, most care in Germany costs little. Private extras, mountain rescue and the flight home are on you. Here is what to check.
15PortugalPublic care in Portugal is mostly free with an EHIC or GHIC. Private clinics, medicines and the flight home are not. Here is what to check before you fly to Portugal.
16Costa RicaCosta Rica doesn’t ask tourists for insurance. Only first emergency care is free, private clinics want payment first, and extensions have their own rules.
17ColombiaMost tourists need no visa and no policy for Colombia. If you do need a visa, insurance is part of it. Private clinics want payment first.
18South KoreaKorea doesn’t ask tourists for insurance, and the national scheme is not for short trips. Hospitals expect you to pay on the spot, then claim.
19Australia working holidayThe 417 and 462 visas don’t make you buy health insurance. But you pay every medical bill yourself, unless your passport gets you limited Medicare. Here is who is covered and what to buy.
20New Zealand working holidayMost working holiday visas for New Zealand require medical and hospital insurance for your whole stay, and you can be asked for proof when you land. Here is who is exempt and what to buy.